Sustainability with wind and wood
Using a thermal activation system in connection with structural timber design works very well with rammed earth as well, as shown by the extension to the headquarters of Windkraft Simonsfeld in Lower Austria. This new build had a positive carbon footprint even during the construction phase.
Their first wind turbines were connected to the grid in 1998. Today, Windkraft Simonsfeld AG is one of Austria’s biggest producers of wind power, operating a total of 94 wind power plants. Overall, the company generates 741.3 million kWh of green electricity per year, which corresponds to about 185,300 households. The huge upswing experienced in the industry is rooted in Austria’s Renewable Energy Expansion Act. This aims to achieve a transition to renewable energy sources to fulfil the country’s entire electricity requirements by 2030.
Although the company headquarters in Ernstbrunn were only built in 2014, the strong growth of recent years meant they quickly outgrew the available space. In their design for the extension, architectural studio Juri Troy chose a two-storey hybrid timber-clay structure that creates a unified whole with the existing building.
Teamwork produces results
The thought process needed to develop the actual workplace was not simply outsourced, however. Chief Financial Officer of Windkraft Simonsfeld, Alexander Hochauer, explains their approach: “It was important for us to include the team right from the outset. So we formed a user group consisting of people from various departments. Together, this team provided details of the rooms, collaborative workspaces, meeting places, alcoves for privacy and concentrated work as well as the working environment which they required for the future.”
The compact cubature interferes as little as possible with the existing structure, but complements it harmoniously and integrates it into a new overall concept.
Juri Troy, architectural studio
These requirements from the team were then used as specifications for an architecture competition. The winning design from Juri Troy is connected to the existing structure in two places. In a sheltered open area between the buildings, greenery helps to provide a place for rest and relaxation.
The extension blends naturally and smoothly into its surroundings. Its rhythmic wooden facade has a restrained aura with homogeneous colours and materials, while the recessed and offset sections create a feeling of expectancy.
It is this feature that keeps the new building from outshining the existing structure, which was designed by architectural firm Reinberg. “The compact cubature interferes as little as possible with the existing structure, but complements it harmoniously and integrates it into a new overall concept,” reads the project description by architectural studio Juri Troy.
Thermal activation with rammed earth
For a company whose business involves pressing ahead with climate turnaround, their construction needed to have a special focus on sustainability. And this was achieved not just in the building’s energy concept but also in the choice of construction materials. While its climate-friendly operation uses ground heating and photovoltaics as renewable energy sources, a clearly structured timber skeleton design was the preferred solution for the framework.
This timber construction is not just flexible enough to adapt to future alterations, it also helps to keep a building’s carbon footprint as small as possible. Besides the timber building, a solid core made of rammed earth supplies the storage material necessary for the thermal activation system. In this kind of temperature control, the pipes that supply the water are fitted through the rammed earth and – depending on the season of the year – ensure that the rooms are either heated or cooled.
Compared to conventional radiators, this method needs much larger surfaces. It also achieves good results even with the low supply temperatures typical of geothermal energy. Thermal activation is mostly used in connection with a concrete core, and rammed earth is the most climate-friendly alternative.
The building already had a positive carbon footprint during the construction phase.
Juri Troy, architectural studio
According to the architects, this had the required effect: “The building already had a positive carbon footprint during the construction phase. The project was certified with the highest rating of 1000/1000 points according to the Climate Active Gold Standard.”
Windkraft Simonsfeld now benefits from an additional useable floor space of 1,900 square metres in this climate-positive extension. The versatility of the new structure will provide an important basis for future adaptability of the company’s headquarters. After all, sustainability is also about creating a building that can be repurposed should the occasion arise, therefore enabling it to stand the test of time.
Text: Gertraud Gerst
Translation: Rosemary Bridger-Lippe
Photos: Patrick Johannsen